You don't think Obama's sudden reversal on gay marriage wasn't a tactical decision to energize socially liberal independents? Or the sudden urgency behind issuing visas to young immigrants? Or the fact that Obama told Putin he would be given license to do more with Russia after the election?

Both parties are neutered by their base and both have to pander to get votes. It's the political process. Let's not pretend that it works for one party and not the other. I am a moderate and Romney is one of the first candidates to energize me, because I believe he is a true moderate. As a true moderate, I think it kills Romney that he has to take on sometimes crazy conservative ideologies that he doesn't necessarily agree with. What we saw in the debate was a Romney that I believe had his back to the wall and realized he was going to win by being himself, rather than a lackey for his party. I don't think it's intellectual dishonesty. I think Romney is a candidate who believes that bullheadedness on a belief isn't the way to go. I completely agree with and love the idea of a candidate who lays out principals then achieves bipartisan compromise to get it done. That's how it works in the business world. A CEO that gets into specific details about what cuts Congress should make... that's what you call a micro-manager.

Thing is, Romney needs to keep up the pressure in the next debate. Needs to bitch slap O'Bama's ass again. I really want to see how The Blameless One reacts if he sees the presidency slipping away from him

Something must be amiss because I've been told in this forum that the debates don't matter and/or Obama would destroy Romney in them.

Romney is +1 and -1 in Ohio.
Leads by a couple in VA and FL.
Leads by 4 in CO.

In the tracking polls Romney is somewhere between +3 and +5 in Gallup and +6 in Rasmussen for today's portion of the full results (Gallup that is 1/7 of the total number and 1/3 of the Rasmussen number). By Monday we'll see the full effect of the debate with Rasmussen and it will take until Thursday to see how it sticks with Gallup.

If this holds you're looking at a transformative event at the debate and a repudiation of Obama's name-calling and distortions.

Is this the end of the Obamaphone crowd picking our direction? Time will tell.

I just want to say that I think Direckshun is being very disingenuous for not partaking in this poll. Once again he doesn't want to open himself up to criticism or embarrassment as we all know the Mittens totally stomped BO in this round. Time to step up and take your medicine...

Man you guys are entertaining. This debate doesn't mean shit. Romney is still going to get stomped. Just wait for the damage the ads about his admission on turning medicare into a voucher program will do to his campaign.

Keep up the circle jerk though.

I just had to bump this thread since Romney has stormed into the lead as a result of crushing Obama in the debate.

KC Naive apparently knows as much about the impact of debates as he does about the economic impact of tax cuts.